Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-07-03
STORY OF DIR. CRAZY.
m. 9. Brooke in Tho overlsnd.l

In the summer Of 1850 was mining
on The Stanislaus river at "Shorty's
Bar" There was large company OF
us, forty men in all, for we were going
10 turn the river in order to work the
spot known as 90 the deep pool" We
all knew that We had q sure thing, fol-
the bars Just above and below had been
rich, and IL was well known that "the
pot hole" as il was called, must be
much richer, for II was the deepest place
anywhere in the vicinity, and we had
prospected il slightly by coffer-dams,
getting splendid prospects, but never
able 10 reach tho bed rock on account
of the thrush OF water. A lot OF our
boys had worked above and below, and
were very comfortably fixed. We were
known to be the richest company on
the river, and having, as l have said, a
dead sure thing, our credit was good
anywhere within ten miles. 1t was the
custom in those days with the strong
companies TO buy almost ey rything on
credit and 10 pay out of the first clean
up. A couple Of weeks generally paid
of old scores and left clean run for
the remainder OF the season.
We had very pretty camp, high
and dry, on the upper bar, as it was
called, forty feet above the bed OF the
channel. Here were several clusters OF
fine old hve-oak and white-oak trees.
Under these we pitched our tents and
ran up our brash shelter. We all
messed together for the sake OF conve.
nience. The camp clearinghouse was
built of "shakes." Wehad first-rate
Chinese cook and Chinese boy to
clean dishes, chop wood, and do chores.
There were some mighty nice fell
lows in that company, if it was
ga mixed crowd" We were
known as 1.-THE Cosmopolitan Com.
pany," for the reason, suppose,
thatwe had among us, French, Spanish,
Portuguese, English, Danes, Swedes,
Norwegisns, Canadians, and what not
We had sailors, captain, wheel
wright, two carpenters, two black
smiths, sailmaker, farmer, a school
master, and so on. My partner and l
were. i think, the only men in the com
pany without trade. Twas not much
more than q boy then, and had never
settled down to anything. came out
to California from Prince Edward I
island in 1850 on one OF my unclei
ships, expecting to go back on her
but when the first and second mates
cook, doctor, and all hands scattered
for the mines, / thought 1t about time
for me to go, too fer what use would
it have been for me to stay by thu
ship?
had had but one partner since | was
in the mines; that was Harry Knox,
Virginian-the finest fellow that eve
lived, / believe. Poor fellow, he il
dead long since. Harry went with M
into the Cosmopolitan Company. anC
we camped together as usual. We haC
q little tent beneath one Of the fine ole
live-oaks. 1t was mighty comfortable
1 cen tell you, after cooking for oneI
self so long. to have our grub cooked
for us, our wood chopped, dishe
cleaned, and so on; to have nothing Il
do about the camp after work, ex
cept 10 wash our flannel shirts ant
repair damages. That was the arts
tocracy OF mining We dressed our
selves up until we we're regular dandie
on Sundays, VIXEN we were of dnty
and were generally as nicely fixed, a
snug and comfortable, as could be.
never took kindly to any sort of domes
tic work, but Harry was as smart as
woman with needle. and as brightau'
useful about camp; and he, knowing
nv weakness, took care that / had littl
or noting Of wOman's work to do. All
these were happy, careless, independ
ent DAYS. We had q splendid mess
The Canadians saw to 1T that we ha'
plenty of fish from the river, fine sal
mon in the season. The Indian
brought us fine venison, and we useC
to kill lots of small game for ourselves
such as " cotton-tails," "jackass" rab
bits, quail, and the like.
Our captain-the captain of on
company-was little bit of fello'
from Mainc-the smallest man in tn
crowd, / believe-but he was tough a
a pine knot. His name was Paine
Somehow he didn't look small, evel
when he was alongside of larger men
for he stood square and firm, as though
he took hold Of the Ground-held him
self straight, kept his head well up
and had manly, large-hearted wa.
with him. He always wore era.
suit OF some sort of strong hOmespun
and yellow felt hat. Both must hay
been Of excellent quality, for | canno
remember that he ever changed them
He always looked exactly the same
SUNDAYS, weeks-days, holidays, and a
all times. He was farmer, but goo
at any sort of work knew how to la.
hold of anything and everything coul
use any sort of tool never lost hi
temper; always had pleasant smile o
his face and a pleasant word on HI
tongue. His under lip projected jus
the least bit, L remember he ha
rather a fair complexion, a high colol
and spoke just little through hi
nose-but a very little, just enough
be pleasant for we oil liked him, an
therefore liked his peculiaities. Ii
talked very seldom, gave his order
shortly and briefly, but without tn
least attempt at bossing, end nobod
ever thought Of disputing him for b
always did exactly the right thing !
Che right way, and every body knew
After he left mining hesettled on IN
farm in Wisconsin, | have heard, an
became a very prosperous man.
must describe the lay of the land
make things clear The principal fe
lure of the surroundings was the "Tab
Mountain" At the time thought
only local phenomenon, and we use
10 wonder O preatdeal how 1T came
he so fiat. Its course was. or appeart
10 be, diagonal to the Stanislaus, aI
crossed therive some six or eight mil
above us. i say crossed the river, wh'
/ should say, suppose, the nv
crossed it. Where the stream had G.
through the walls fell from the su
face perpendicularly several hundr'
feet, and then slanted down to the ber
of the river at an angle of forty III
degrees or thereabouts, covered with
dense growth OF chapparal. There was
trail right back of our camp which !,
across the table-land TO Jim Town. III
mountain seemed to make horse. sh'
bend in there, and right in the bel
there was strong spring OF wat
which made green patch oil the We
round, very noticeable among the DIR
barren Surroundings. Below us mi
or two was the canon, and from whe
the table-land was cut by the stres
~. q.